Stanford Health Care and the American Cancer Society are exploring the opportunity to build a new Hope Lodge, which would provide free accommodations and support services to cancer patients, along with their families, who are in active treatment in the Bay Area and who live more than 40 miles from their treatment center.
Stanford Health Care has committed $10 million over five years to support the development of the facility. The project will make it easier for cancer patients to access care and to participate in clinical research by providing free lodging near major academic medical centers in the Bay Area.
Each year about 200,000 people in the U.S. travel more than 40 miles from their homes to access cancer care, which can last weeks to months. Lodging and travel costs can add tens of thousands of dollars to a family’s financial burdens during one of the most stressful times of their lives and perpetuate inequities in health care access.
The American Cancer Society operates 31 Hope Lodges in the United States that provide private rooms with shared kitchens, laundry rooms and community spaces that foster connection and mutual support in a homelike atmosphere that promotes healing and rest. Currently, the closest facility to the Bay Area is in Salt Lake City. The new facility would be the first Hope Lodge on the West Coast. Although the exact location and opening timeline have not yet been determined, this collaboration marks the first step toward expanding access to advanced care for people living far from their treatment center.
“Stanford Medicine is committed to revolutionizing the cancer care journey, from breakthrough discoveries to prevention to survivorship,” said David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care. “By joining with the American Cancer Society to bring a Hope Lodge to the Bay Area, we are removing barriers and expanding patient access to the specialized care that improves outcomes and saves lives.”
“At the American Cancer Society, we believe no one should have to choose between getting treatment or not due to lodging challenges,” said Shane Jacobson, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. “This collaboration with Stanford Health Care brings Hope Lodge to Northern California — giving more patients and families the stability and support they need while focusing on their health.”
The American Cancer Society supports cancer research at Stanford Medicine through direct grants to individual faculty members as well as the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant. The organization also sponsors a summer program for San Francisco Bay Area undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in cancer research.
Support from Stanford Medicine Cancer Center enables the American Cancer Society to connect more people with lifesaving resources. Through the I Love You, Get Screened campaign, Bay Area Discovery Shops and local American Cancer Society Relay for Life events, this collaboration allows community members to engage with the organization’s programs and learn about cancer screening, patient support and local care options.
“As we look ahead, this Hope Lodge represents our commitment to explore innovative collaborations that deliver on our promise to stand with patients and families every step of the way,” said Timothy Morrison, senior vice president of cancer services at Stanford Health Care. “Our goal is simple: If a person needs the expertise of Stanford Medicine to fight their cancer, we want to remove every barrier we can to help them get here.”
